The blood donors are used to support stem cell transplant recipients in our research projects. We have previously demonstrated that baboons can be infected with an endemic species of Babesia that can result in fatal infection after transplantation. IFA and PCR assays have been developed that allow the identification of potentially infected individuals so that these animals are not used as blood donors for transplanted animals. FUNDING NIH grants RR00166, AI35191, CA15704, AI37747 and HL54881 and Amgen Corp.